Imprinting device movable between inking and printing positions



E. E. MESSMER IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTINGPOSITIONS March 7, 1967 -Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1964 I 2 Sheets INVENTOR:

March 7, 1967 E. E. MESSMER 3,307,479

IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTING POSITIONS FiledMay 13, 1964 FIGJ I I l W pg INVENTOR: Ea WIN 5 Mass/WEI? 2 Sheets-Sheet2 j not.

United States Patent Ofilice 3 ,367,475; Patented Mar. 7, 1967 3,307,479IMPRINTING DEVICE MOVABLE BETWEEN INKING AND PRINTING POSITIONS Edwin E.Messmer, Roslyn Heights, N.Y., assignor to Roto American Corporation,New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 13, 1%4, Ser. No.367,127 3 Claims. ((1101-3341) This invention relates generally toprinting apparatus and has particular reference to a printing device forapplying a readily variable predetermined imprint to a succession oflabels or the like.

The invention is primarily intended for use with installations in whichmerchandise packages are advanced successively to and past a labelingstation at which a succession of labels is made available in conjunctionwith means for applying the labels to the packages as they pass. It isan object of the invention to provide a printing instrument speciallyadapted to apply a selected imprint, e.g., a trademark or a price orstyle designation, to each of the labels, preferably just prior to itsaflixation to a package.

However, the imprinter of this invention is useful also with anyapparatus for successively presenting a series of articles to a printingstation, whether they be labels or The term label, as used herein and inthe appended claims, is therefore intended to include within its scopeany sheet, area, or article that can be advanced to a printing stationto receive an imprint. It is a more particular object of the inventionto provide a printing apparatus which is relatively simple in structureand mode of operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a device which is easy to install and toadapt to label-advancing and label-applying devices of various kinds,and which is well able to perform reliably for long periods with aminimum of attention and at low cost.

Another object is to provide an imprinter which is readily adjustable tovary the imprint, and which may be easily and quickly serviced to effectdesired changes and to maintain the device in properloperatingcondition.

The improved apparatus is characterized by the employment of a printinghead mounted for bodily movement in a special simplified manner betweenan inking position and a printing position, the printing headfunctioning very much like a coventional rubber stamp in that it becomesinked by momentary application to a conventional ink pad.

A particular feature of the invention resides in the provision ofcompact means for supporting the ink pad in a plane substantiallytransverse to the plane along which the imprint is made, and for movingthe printing head in such a way that while it moves along one pathduring the inking period, i.e., toward and away from the ink pad, itreciprocates along a different path and lies accurately perpendicular tothe printing plane, during the printing period.

The movements of the printing head are controlled by mechanismoperating. in timed relation to the advancement of successive labels tothe printing position. Another feature of the invention relates to themanner in which this timed operation is controlled. The mechanism isdriven by an electric motor through a clutch whose activation isautomatically switched on in a predetermined timed sequence responsiveto label advancement.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means forpreventing the shock of the printing impact from being transmitted backto the driving motor. As a result, a motor of minimal power and ofrelatively low cost may be employed.

Other features of the invention relate to the structural arrangement andmounting of the several parts of the apparatus whereby a thoroughlypractical instrumentality is provided whose manufacture, installation,and servicing are all achievable with great facility and on acommercially feasible basis.

One way of attaining these objects and advantages, and such otherbenefiits as may hereinafter be pointed out, is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings depicting a preferred embodiment of the inventionin an imprinting device of the character described. In the drawings FIG.1 is a perspective view of the imprinter;

FIG, 2 is a cross-sectional view, on a larger scale, along the line 2-2of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram.

The imprinter chosen for illustration has its elements compactlyarranged in association with a substantially rectangular housing havinga bottom wall 10, upright walls 11, 12, 13 and 14, and a top wall 15.The opposite walls 11 and 12 are provided with openings 16 at theirlower ends, and wall 12 is preferably secured in pivotal fashion topermit access to the interior of the housing. For this purpose uprightmembers 6 are fastened to the Wall 12 by any suitable means, and thesemembers 6 are rotatably supported at their lower ends on a rod 8 fixedat its ends in the walls 13 and 14. The dot-dash lines, and the arrow 9in FIG. 2, indicate how it may be swung outward for this purpose. Aflange 17 at the top of wall 12 is provided with an upstanding pin 18releasably engageable by a hook 19 pivoted to the top wall 15 at 20.

Mounted on the bottom wall 10 is a platen 21 preferably composed ofyieldable material. The openings 16 afford a means whereby the labels orother items to be imprinted may be advanced through the imprinter. Byway of example a continuous ribbon or strip 22 has been illustrated.This strip may be a continuous uninterrupted band, or it may be providedwith perforations or other lines of weakness (not shown) to facilitatesubsequent severance into separate areas. Each area or label to beprinted is momentarily brought to rest on the platen 21.

The means for appropriate intermittent advance of the strip 22 has notbeen illustrated, since such label feeding devices are well known. Norhas it been deemed necessary, so far as this invention is concerned, toshow the means that may be employed for subsequently separatingindividual printed labels and applying them to packages.

Mounted on the interior surface of one of the upright walls (and in theillustrated device, it is the wall 12) is a box-like structure 23 withinwhich an ink pad 24 is removably accommodated. The pad has a metallicshell 25 and it may be held in snug disposition within the structure 23by means of a pair of magnets 26 on the interior of the structure 23.The inked surface faces toward the interior of the main housing, andlies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the platen21.

The printing head comprises a holder 27, preferably of magnetizedmaterial, within which a printing element may be held in readilyremovable manner. This element has a metallic backing 28 that clings tothe holder 27, and a configured rubbery part 29 bearing the indicia tobe imprinted upon the successive label areas. Secured to the rear faceof the holder 27 is a block 30 having a cylindrical bore. Itaccommodates a pivot rod 31 secured at its opposite ends to the freeends of a pair of actuating arms 32. These arms are preferably locatedclosely adjacent to theopposite walls 13, 14 of the housing. They aresecured at their lower ends to a rockable drive shaft 33 journaled inand extending through the opposite walls 13, 14 of the housing.

Secured to one projecting end of the shaft 33 (the lower end as viewedin FIG. 3) is a radial arm 34 to which one end of a tension spring 35 issecured, as at 36. The other end of this spring is anchored at 37 to aprojecting part 38 and of the fixed framework of the housing. The spring35 constantly exerts a pulling force upon the arm 34 to urge it into theposition shown in FIG. 1, and in this position the drive shaft 33 is inthe relationship shown in FIG. 2, with the arms 32 extending upwardlyfrom it. The printing head is thus urged into a position adjacent to theink pad 24.

At the opposite projecting end of the drive shaft 33, a transmissionleads to a driving motor 39 (see FIG. 1) mounted on the top wall 15.Through appropriate gearing this motor drives a sprocket 40 connected bya driving chain 41 to a sprocket 42 axially aligned with the drive shaft33. Between the sprocket 42 and the shaft 33 a clutch 43 is arranged,one part connected to and rotating with the sprocket 42, the other partconnected to and rotating with the shaft 33. The clutch is preferably amagnetic clutch, activatable and deactivatable by establishing andbreaking an electric circuit presently to be described.

The transmission is so arranged that when the clutch 43 is activated,i.e., when the driving force of the motor 39 is applied to the shaft 33,the shaft is rocked against the urgence of the spring 35 to the positionshown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 2. In this disposition, the printinghead is adjacent to the platen 21.

A special means is provided for rotating the printing head on its pivotaxis (31) during the swinging movements of the printing head from theinking position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 to the printing positionshown in dot-dash lines, and back again. The pivoting movements are suchthat the printing head encounters both the ink pad and the platen inface-on relation. For the accomplishment of this result, the printinghead is provided with a stem 44 extending perpendicularly rearward. Therear end of this stem is slidably accommodated within a guiding sleeve45 mounted for free rotative movements on a fixed axis parallel to theshaft 33. For this purpose, the guide sleeve 4-5 is arranged within ablock 46 rotatably journaled at its ends on aligned pivot pins 47.

It will be noted that the drive shaft 33 is located adjacent to andparallel to the line of intersection between the planes within which theink pad and the platen lie. In the illustrated device, these planes areat right angles to each other. This is not absolutely essential,although the operation is most efficient when the plane of the ink padis arranged in a generally transverse relationship to the plane of theplaten. It will also be noted that the fixed pivot axis of the guide isequidistant from the planes referred to. As a result of thisarrangement, the printing head pivot 31 swings through the are 48 duringthe rocking movements of the shaft 33. At the same time, due to theconfinement of the rear end of the stem 44, the printing head pivots sothat it encounters the inking pad 24 face-on, thus becoming properlyinked at each encounter, and also engages the platen (i.e., the labelarea resting on the platen) in a similar face-on relationship at thetime of printing.

For the purpose of replenishing the ink pad 24, or replacing theprinting element 28, 29 with a different printing element, it is arelatively simple matter to open the wall 12 of the housing and thusgain ready access, for removal and replacement purposes, to the ink pad24 and the printing element.

A special feature of the invention resides in the arrangement forelectrically controlling the operation of the printer. Mounted on theexterior of the wall 14 is an illustrative electric switch 49 of thetype in which an actuating button extends outwardly through oppositesides.

Mounted on one of these sides (the uppermost side as seen in FIG. 1) isa springy finger 50. Secured to the drive shaft 33, along with the arm34 previously referred to, is an arm 51 carrying a switch-actuatingelement This element may be a simple screw-threaded pin. It is solocated on the arm 51 that when the shaft 33 moves through apredetermined arc the pin 52 encounters the element 50 and presses thelatter down to actuate the switch 49. The element 52 may obviously bepositionally adjusted so that its encounter with the element 50 can becarefully regulated.-

Adjacent to the opposite face of the switch 49 is an actuating arm 53pivoted to the housing at 54 and articulated at its opposite end to thearmature of a solenoid 55.

The parts are so arranged that when the solenoid 55 is actuated the arm53 will be drawn upwardly and actuate the switch 49.

As seen from the wiring diagram (FIG. 4), any suitable source ofelectric current may be resorted to,- as indicated by the power lines56.- The motor 39 is in a circuit containing a main switch 57. Wheneverthe im'= printer is in operation, the switch 57 is closed, and the motor3% is allowed to rotate continuously. The clutch 43 is in an electriccircuit 58 containing the switch 4&- The solenoid 55 is in a circuit 59containing a switch 60. The dotted lines shown in FIG. 4 inconnectionwith the switch 49 are intended to indicate that the openingan closing of this switch is controlled, in part, by the sole noid 55,and in part by the element 52 on the arrii 5'1,

The switch 69 is controlled by the label advancing mechanism. Thiscontrol may be of any desired char= acter. It is probable that in alabeling installation the switch at will be at a remote point, and forthis reason it has not been shown in the present drawings except in thewiring diagram. It is actuated at an appropriate time, relative to thelabel advancement, so that the activation of the solenoid 55 will closethe switch 49, and activate the clutch 43 to move the printing head fromthe inking position to the printing position. In this interval of timethe label to be imprinted will have been advanced to the printingstation and will lie in a receptive manner beneath the printing headwhen it descends. However, just prior to the completion of the swingingmovement of thepr'inh ing head, the switch 49 will have been actuated bythe element 52 to break the circuit. This will allow the printing headto complete its movement in the printing; direction by inertia, and willthereupon allow the spring 35 to function to restore the printing headto the inking position. Since the breaking of the circuit 58 deactivatesthe clutch 43, the stress produced by the printing impact is nottransmitted back to the motor. As a result, a rno= tor of minimum powerand size may be employed.-

Obviously, the time duration between the breaking of the circuit 58 andthe completion of the printing; operation can be regulated byadjustments of the pin 52.

It will thus be seen that the actuation of the imprinter is such thatthe printing head will operate in the printing; direction only when thelabel advancing mechanism initi-' ates such operation.

Obviously circuit-controlling means other than the solenoid and switchshown may be employed.

It will be understood that many of the structural expedients describedand illustrated may be modified without necessarily departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an imprinter, a platen, an ink pad alongside the, platen in aplane substantially transverse to that of the platen, a drive shaftparallel to and adjacent to the line of intersection between saidplanes, an actuating arm se cured to and extending radially from saidshaft, a printing head pivoted to the end of said arm on an axisparallel to said shaft, means for rocking said shaft to swing theprinting head between a printing position and an inking position, andmeans for rotating the printing head on its pivot as-it swings so thatit encounters both the platen and the pad in face-on relationship, saidlast-named means comprising a stem carried by and extendingperpendicularly rearward from said printing head, and a guide slidablyengaging the rear region of said stem, said guide being mounted forrotative movement on a fixed axis parallel to said drive shaft andequidistant from said platen and pad.

2. In an imprinter, a platen, an ink pad alongside the platen in a planesubstantially transverse to that of the platen, a drive shaft parallelto and adjacent to the line of intersection between said planes, anactuating arm secured to and extending radially from said shaft, aprinting head pivoted to the end of said arm on an axis parallel to saidshaft, a moto-r, a transmission including a clutch between said motorand shaft for rocking the shaft in the direction which swings saidprinting head toward said platen whenever said clutch is activated, anda spring for urging said shaft in the direction which swings saidprinting head toward said ink pad, a stem carried by and extendingperpendicularly rearward from said printing head, a guide slidablyengaging the rear region of said stern, said guide being mounted forrotative movement on a fixed axis parallel to said drive shaft andequidistant from said platen and pad, a clutch-activating electriccircuit, a switch in said circuit for completing said circuit andactivating said clutch, an element secured to said drive shaft in aposition to encounter and open said switch to deactivate said clutchduring the rocking movement of said shaft in the direction which swingssaid printing head toward said platen, and means for adjusting thesetting of said element so that it encounters said switch anddeactivates said clutch during the movement of said printing head towardsaid platen but before said printing head strikes said platen.

3. An imprinter as defined in claim 2, in which said parts are disposedwithin a substantially rectangular housing, said platen being on thefloor of said housing, opposite upright walls being provided withopenings through which items to be imprinted are applied to andwithdrawn from said platen, said ink pad being mounted on one of saidupright walls, and said wall being secured to the housing in readilyremovable fashion to permit access to the ink pad and printing head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,221,815 4/1917Adams 101-382 1,489,057 4/1924 Bornstein 101-382 2,070,310 2/1937Ostler.

2,113,867 4/1938 Weyrnouth 101-35 2,172,318 9/1939 Ferguson 101-352,185,797 1/1940 Muller.

2,559,455 7/1951 Meyer 101-44 2,598,991 6/1952 Gollwitzer 101-3342,689,525 9/1954 Anker 101-334 X WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN IMPRINTER, A PLATEN, AN INK PAD ALONGSIDE THE PLATEN IN A PLANESUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSE TO THAT OF THE PLATEN, A DRIVE SHAFT PARALLELTO AND ADJACENT TO THE LINE OF INTERSECTION BETWEEN SAID PLANES, ANACTUATING ARM SECURED TO AND EXTENDING RADIALLY FROM SAID SHAFT, APRINTING HEAD PIVOTED TO THE END OF SAID ARM ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO SAIDSHAFT, MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID SHAFT TO SWING THE PRINTING HEAD BETWEEN APRINTING POSITION AND AN INKING POSITION, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING THEPRINTING HEAD ON ITS PIVOT AS IT SWINGS SO THAT IT ENCOUNTERS BOTH THEPLATEN AND THE PAD IN FACE-ON RELATIONSHIP, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANSCOMPRISING A STEM CARRIED BY AND EXTENDING PERPENDICULARLY REARWARD FROMSAID PRINTING HEAD, AND A GUIDE SLIDABLY ENGAGING THE REAR REGION OFSAID STEM, SAID GUIDE BEING MOUNTED FOR ROTATIVE MOVEMENT ON A FIXEDAXIS PARALLEL TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND EQUIDISTANT FROM SAID PLATEN ANDPAD.